Door latch



H. W. FALK DOOR LATCH April 28, 1953 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Filed Aug. 20, 1948 JLEE April 28, 1953 H. w. FALK 2,636,761

DOOR LATCH Filed Aug. 20, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 FLE. s

Patented Apr. 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOOR LATCH Harold Walter Falk, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application August 20, 1948, .Serial No. 45,318

6 la ms. 1

My invention relates to an improvement in door latch wherein it is desired to provide a simple and inexpensive door latch construction.

During recent years a large number of door latches have been made of a type employing a handle pivotal about a vertical axis and extending on opposite sides of the door. This handle may be operated by a pulling motion on one side of the door or a pushing motion on the opposite side of the door. Such latches have proven extremely popular in use.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a door latch which is simple in its construction and which may be assembled with a minimum of difficulty, thus holding the cost of production to a minimum.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a latch mechanism housing designed to be mounted in an aperture extending through the door and in the provision of a simple means of attaching this mechanism housing to an escutcheon plate designed to overlie a surface of the door at one end of the aperture therethrough.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a latch mechanism housing having attaching flanges issuing therefrom in substantially oo-planar relation. The escutcheon plate is formed with integral sleeve portions punched therefrom. These sleeve portions are designed to extend through apertures in the coplanar fianges of the mechanism housing and may be riveted over on the inner surface thereof to act not only as a means of attaching the escutcheon plate to the latch mechanism housing, but also to serve as screw or bolt holes through which means may be inserted to attach the escutcheon plate to the door.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of escutcheon plates having peripheral flanges thereupon which space the major portion of the escutcheon plate from the door surface which it overlies. Because of this construction the flanges of the mechanism housing may be attached to the escutcheon plate without spacing the escutcheon plate marginally from the door surface or without the necessityof morticing into the door an aperture for these flanges.

An added feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a second escutcheon plate which is designed to overlie the surface of the door opposite that over which the attached escutcheon plate extends. This second escutcheon the door which it overlies so as to allow an aperture closing plate to move between the escutcheon plate and the door surface. I

An additional feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a spring means arranged to hold the pivoted latch locking lever in predetermined position and to compensate for wear between this locking lever and the escutcheon plate on which it is supported.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of my specification:

figure 1 is a perspective View of my latch in readiness for use, one of the escutcheon plates having been removed therefrom.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of my latch, this view being similar to Figure l, but disclosing the opposite side of the escutcheon plate.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through the pivoted locking lever and a portion of the attached escutcheon plate, the position of the section being indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view through a. portion of the escutcheon plate and the flange. attached thereto, the position of the flange beingindicated by the line :ll of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through the latch showing the construction thereof.

Figure 6 is a sectional view through the handle outwardly of one of the escutcheon plates.

Figure 7 is a sectional view through the handle,

outwardly of the other of said escutcheon plates. Figure 8 is a perspective view of a sealing plate used to seal the aperture in one of the cscutcheon plates.

Figure 9 is a sectional view through the latch mechanism housing.

The door latch A includes a generally U-shaped' handle it which includes a central latch bolt containing portion ll which is bent to form opposed handle ends l2 and it.

is constructed of two U-shaped portions I9 and 20; which are telescoped together and held in assembled relationship by the. pivot l6. TheU- shaped housing section [9 includesa pairof sub- The handle end it is desi ned to lie over one surface M of the This housing I! in the form of'construction illustrated,

stantially parallel sides 2| which are connected by a curved connecting wall 22 illustrated in section in Figure 5 of the drawings and shown in Figure 9. The section 20 of the housing is somewhat similarly formed and includes a pair of substantially parallel sides 23 which are connected by a rounded connecting member 24. The pivot it extends through the sides 2| of the housing section I!) and through the sides 23 of the housing section 20 to hold these parts in assembled relationship.

A flange 25 is secured to each of the parallel sides 2| of the housing section l9 to extend outwardly therefrom in opposed substantially coplanar relationship. A flange 2B is likewise connected to the rounded end 24 of the housing section 20 to extend outwardly therefrom in substantially co-planar relation to the flanges 25. The flanges 25 are provided with apertures 21 therethrough and a similar aperture 29 is provided in the flange 26. These apertures are provided as a means of attaching the housing I! to the escutcheon plate 30 as will be later described in detail.

5 The escutcheon plate 30 is provided with a flat center body portion 3| having a marginal flange 32 extending peripherally thereabout. The flange 32 is inclined at an angle to the plane of the body 3| so as to space the body portion 3| from the surface M of the door which this plate overlies. In other words, the sloping flange 32 forms a concave plate arranged with its concave surface nearest the door surface over which the plate lies. The body 3| is provided with two properly spaced sleeves 33 projecting rearwardly therefrom. These sleeves 33 are designed to extend through the apertures 27 in the flanges 25. The inner ends of the sleeves 33 which project through the respective flanges are riveted or peened over so as to flrmly attach the escutcheon plate to the flanges.

The openings through the sleeves 33 which extend through the flanges 25 provide guides for bolts or screws 34 used in attaching the escutcheon plate 30 to the door surface l4. Thus the sleeves 33 serve a double purpose of supporting the escutcheon plate to the mechanism housing and provides cylindrical guides for the latch attachment bolts.

A door locking lever 35 is pivotally connected to the escutcheon plate 33 as best illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. The locking lever 35 is provided with a locking end 33 designed to engage against the handle l3 and an operating end 31 provided with an ear or flange 39 projecting outwardly at right angles to serve as a means of moving the lever. A rivet 40 extends through the locking lever 35, through a flat spring element 4|, through the escutcheon plate 30 and through the aperture 29 in the flange 26. The rivet 40 thus not only acts to hold the section 23 of the mechanism housing to the escutcheon plate 3|, but also serves as a pivotal support for the locking lever 35. The spring element 4| is designed to provide spring tension between the pivoted locking lever and the plate 30. This spring element 4| is provided with an outwardly bent end portion 42 terminating in an inwardly extending flange 43 which extends through the handle aperture 44 in the escutcheon. plate 33. Pivotal movement of the locking lever 35 from the inoperative position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings to locking position wherein the end 36 of the locking lever is against the handle- ||l acts to bend the outwardly bent spring portion 42 flat against the outer surface of the escutcheon plate. Thus outward spring tension is applied against the locking lever preventing the pivoting of this lever accidentally. The spring takes up any wear between the parts and prevents accidental pivotal movement of the locking lever after the latch has been used for a considerable period of time.

The forward end of the latch bolt containing portion I is provided with an aperture 45 therethrough through which the hook shaped end 46 of the latch bolt ll may extend. The rear surface of the portion ll of the handle is longitudinally slotted at 49 so that the latch bolt 4'3 may pivot rearwardly. The latch 4? is pivoted upon the pivot l6 and is movable between one extreme position shown in Figure 5 of the drawings wherein one side of the latch bolt is against the forward edge of the portion ll of the handle to another extreme position in which the other side of the latch bolt engages a shoulder 53 on the handle at the end of the slot 49.

' A spring 5| is provided between an indentation 52 on the curved end 24 of the housing portion 2|] and the latch bolt Al. This spring 5| engages both the rear surface of the center portion ll of the handle l0 and the rear surface of the latch bolt ll. Thus either the handle ill as a whole or the latch bolt 4'! as a separate element may pivot in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, thus compressing the spring 5!. As the latch bolt 4] is positioned against the forward wall of the center portion of the handle lo, pivotal movement of the entire handle It] in a clockwise direction will act to pivot the latch bolt 4'! in unison therewith. However, pivotal movement of the latch bolt 47 in a clockwise direction does not necessarily pivot the handle I0 although it removes the spring tension tending to hold the handle W in the position shown in Figure 5.

As best illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings, the apertures 27! in the flanges 25 are countersunk so that the outer surface thereof tapers. The sleeves 33 extend through these tapered apertures 27. When the ends of the sleeve are riveted over the inner surface of the flanges 25, the outer surface of these sleeves is braced against the tapered apertures so as to provide a tapered outer surface 5| in the escutcheon plate 33. This allows the screws 34 to extend substantially flush with the outer surface of the escutcheon plate when the latch is in place upon the door.

As best illustrated in Figures 5 and 7 of the drawings, an escutcheon plate 52 similar in shape to the escutcheon plate 33 is provided overlying the opposite surface |5 of the door B. The escutcheon plate 52 is provided with a marginal tapered flange 53 extending thereabout which acts to space the flat body portion 55 of the escutcheon plate from the door surface 55. An aperture 55 is provided in the escutcheon plate 54 through which the end I3 of the handle may extend. The aperture 55 must obviously be somewhat larger in size than the handle it so as to allow free pivotal movement of the handle.

guard plate closes the aperture 55.

The latch bolt 4'! is engageable with a keeper or strike plate structure 59 mounted in the door frame C. The strike plate 59 includes a hollow socket portion 60 into which the hook shaped end 46 of the latch bolt 41 may engage and also includes a strike plate wall Bl of double thickness over which the latch bolt moves in engaging the strike plate. The forward end 62 of the latch bolt 41 is beveled or inclined to act as a cam to pivot the latch bolt 41 as the latch bolt moves past the strike plate wall 6|.

Thus it will be seen that my door latch is advantageous in providing a means of compensating for wear between the locking lever and the escutcheon plate. The escutcheon plates are provided with peripheral flanges which space the major portion thereof from the door surface. This allows the mechanism housing flanges and the aperture sealing plate to be enclosed between the body of the escutcheon plate and the door surface without requiring the mortising of the door surface. The tubular sleeves which hold the escutcheon plate secured to the 'mechanism housing also serve as guides for the bolts attaching the latch to the door. Thus the cost of manufacture of my latch is extremely low while the efficiency of the device is very high.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and op eration of my door latch, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a mounting arrangement for a generally U-shaped handle, said mounting arrangement including a housing, said housing comprising a concave escutcheon plate designed to overlie a door surface, integral sleeves on said escutcheon plate, said sleeves having screw holes therethrough, flanges provided with apertures through which said sleeves extend, said sleeves having riveted ends attaching said flanges to said escutcheon plate, said flanges having portions thereof issuing outwardly away from the escutcheon plate for the pivotal carrying of said handle, the concavity of said escutcheon plate accommodating said flanges.

2. In a mounting arrangement for a generally U-shaped handle, said mounting arrangement including a housing, said housing comprising an escutcheon plate having an aperture therethrough through which said handle extends, integral sleeves on said escutcheon plate having screw holes therethrough, substantially coplanar attaching flanges, said flanges having apertures through which said sleeves extend, riveted ends on said sleeves to hold said escutcheon plate connected to said flanges, spaced ears on 6 said flanges issuing outwardly from the plane of the escutcheon plate, a channel member received between said ears, said channel member having one end affixed to said escutcheon plate, and means pivotally connecting said handle to said ears and channel member.

3. In a mounting arrangement for a generally U-shaped handle, said mounting arrangement including a housing, said housing comprising a concave escutcheon plate, a pair of opposed channel shaped members having the sides thereof in telesc-oped relation, flange means securing said channel shaped members to the concave surface of said escutcheon plate, the concavity of said plate accommodating said flange means, and a pivot supported by said channel shaped members and extending through said handle.

4. In a mounting arrangement for a generally U-shaped handle, said mounting arrangement including a housing, said housing comprising an escutcheon plate, a pair of channel shaped memhere with the sides thereof in telescoping relation, one end of each channel shaped member being secured to said escutcheon plate, and a pivot extending through said telescoped sides of the channel shaped members and said handle.

5. In a mounting arrangement for a generally U-shaped handle, said mounting arrangement comprising an escutcheon plate, means associated with the escutcheon plate for pivotally supporting said handle in a plane substantially normal to said plate, a locking lever pivotally connected to said escutcheon plate movable into or out of the path of movement of said handle, and a flat spring member inserted between said locking lever and said escutcheon plate, said spring including a portion outwardly bent from the escutcheon plate and extending in a direction toward said handle and beyond the edge of said locking lever when said lever is in unlocked position, said outwardly bent portion extending between said escutcheon plate and said lever in locked position of the lever.

6. The structure described in claim 5 in which the handle extends through an aperture in said escutcheon plate and the bent portion of said spring member is provided with a turned extremity projectinginto said aperture to prevent rotation of said spring member.

HAROLD WALTER. FALK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 797 425 Haag Aug. 15, 1905 922,670 Corson May 25, 1909 2,311,686 Olson Feb. 23, 1943 2,311,688 Olson Feb. 23, 1943 2,352,465 Anderson et a1. June 27, 1944 

